The complex issue of water distribution in Pakistan, especially regarding the construction and management of canals, and the political and economic motivations behind such projects. Let’s break down the key points and address the concerns raised in the context of water resources and the Cholistan Canal.

### Key Points:

1. **Canal Development and Purpose**:

– **Raini Thar Canal**: This canal has already been constructed and provides water to parts of Ghotki, Sukkur, and Khairpur for limited periods.

– **Kachhi Canal**: This canal, though built during Musharraf’s time, has not been activated. It was designed to irrigate areas in Balochistan but has not released water to date.

– **Chashma Right Bank Canal Extension**: The extension of this canal aims to irrigate Dera Ismail Khan and Dera Ghazi Khan districts in Punjab.

– **Kalabagh Dam and Associated Canals**: There are two proposed canals that will come into play only after the construction of the Kalabagh Dam—one for areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Bannu, and Lakki Marwat), and another to connect the Thal region with the Indus River, linking it to the Rasoolabad Barrage.

– **Cholistan Canal**: The most contentious one, which aims to irrigate the Cholistan desert. This canal would be sourced not from the Indus River but from Punjab’s own rivers.

2. **Cholistan Canal Dispute**:

– **Water Source**: The critical issue with the Cholistan Canal is its proposed water source—the Sutlej River. The Sutlej has already been significantly depleted, especially since the 1960s, under the Indus Waters Treaty with India. This means there is insufficient water in the Sutlej to fulfill the demands of this canal.

– **Linking Sutlej to the Indus**: Even if Punjab plans to link the Sutlej to the Indus River through a series of canals, the basic issue remains—there is not enough water in the Sutlej to supply the Cholistan Canal.

3. **Political and Economic Motivations**:

– **Strategic Interests**: The narrative suggests that the real aim behind these projects, particularly the Cholistan Canal, is to develop the land of Cholistan, which is seen as underdeveloped compared to other parts of Punjab. This is depicted as a strategic move by the military establishment and ruling class to secure agricultural and economic benefits from the region.

– **Sindh’s Perspective**: The issue of water rights and the role of Sindhi engineers at the barrages in Punjab is also raised. The engineers are accused of being ineffective and corrupt, with some blamed for not properly protesting or reporting water mismanagement. The suggestion is that the Sindhi people, who are already suffering from water shortages, need to organize better protests and demand their rights.

4. **The Water Crisis**:

– The broader issue is the mismanagement of water resources, with Punjab and Balochistan vying for access to scarce water resources, especially the water of the Indus River. The concern is that projects like the Cholistan Canal are being pursued for political and economic reasons, without considering the actual availability of water.

– **From where Will the Cholistan Canal Get Water?**

The central concern is that the Sutlej River, which is supposed to supply water for the Cholistan Canal, has already been drained significantly, especially since the 1960s. The river has been diverted for agricultural and industrial uses, and now only a small fraction of water remains, insufficient for large-scale irrigation projects like the Cholistan Canal. Additionally, the Sutlej has no connection to the Indus River system, meaning water from the Indus cannot be directly transferred to the Sutlej to fulfill this demand.

Even if the plan is to link the Rasoolabad Barrage on the Jhelum River to the Indus, this would not address the fundamental issue: there simply isn’t enough water in the Sutlej to supply the Cholistan Canal, especially considering the broader water shortages already impacting Pakistan.

### Conclusion:

The proposed Cholistan Canal faces a significant challenge: **insufficient water availability**. The Sutlej River, which is meant to supply the canal, is already overdrawn, and linking it to the Indus system does not resolve the water scarcity. The plan to develop Cholistan is part of a larger, politically-driven effort to transform the region, but without addressing the underlying issue of water scarcity, these projects are unlikely to succeed in their intended goals. Additionally, there are wider concerns about water mismanagement and the need for more effective governance and protests from Sindh and other affected regions.

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